Get Activvely

Smartphone app to connect those looking for activity partners, friends

By Collin Kelley

There are plenty of smartphone apps for finding dates and hooking up, but how about finding a platonic friend to exercise with? Or go to a movie? Or grab the occasional lunch? Old Fourth Ward resident Stefanie Jewett hopes her new app, Activvely, will solve that problem.

The idea for Activvely, which launches for the iPhone on Sept. 8, came while Jewett was working as a producer for CNN’s “Crossfire” in Washington, D.C. “Because of my schedule at CNN, I had a hard time finding friends whose schedules synched up with mine,” she said. “I wanted to find people who shared my interests and had coinciding schedules.”

Jewett said she scoured the app stores, but found nothing to help her. “We have so much social media at our fingertips, but our social lives aren’t getting any better. You can find hook ups, get a ride from Uber or do your banking, but you can’t find anyone to work out with.”

After she left CNN, Jewett decided to dive in full time to creating Activvely. She took a code immersion boot camp so she could relate to the app developer, which she found when she moved back to Atlanta.

Once word got out about the forthcoming app, Jewett said the pre-launch reaction has been “overwhelming.”

“We’ve already had people tagging and contacting us on social media saying they can’t wait to use the app to find a tennis or running buddy,” she said.

Jewett said making the app easy to use and navigate was crucial. Once you download Activvely, set up a short profile with a photo, and then list what activities you’re interested in. You can indicate if you’re a newbie or seasoned pro to something (kayaking, for example) and the times and days you are free. Users can also set distance and send messages in the app.

The app will launch first for the iPhone and soon in the Google Play store for Android devices. While the Atlanta launch is imminent, Jewett said she’s already looking at other states and cities include Colorado and Chicago.

For more information, visit activvely.com.

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Google Fiber launches sign-ups, opens Fiber Space

Google Fiber has announced the first five neighborhoods that will get its gigabyte internet, television and phone service: Midtown East, Piedmont Heights, VirginiaHighland, Morningside/Lenox Park and Old Fourth Ward.

Google also opened its new Fiber Space at Ponce City Market, which is designed to provide the community with a place to hang out, share ideas, sign up for service and explore Google Fiber’s options.

Google officials also said residents would have a limited time to sign up for the service so fiber optic wiring can be installed in homes. The deadlines for the five neighborhoods are:

• Midtown East: Sept. 29

• Piedmont Heights: Sept. 29

• Morningside/Lenox Park: Dec. 8

• Old Fourth Ward: Dec. 8

• Virginia-Highland: Dec. 8

Customers across the metro Atlanta area living in apartment buildings can use the Apartment Finder tool fiber.google.com/cities/atlanta/apartments/ to see if Google Fiber is available in their building or if it is on track to come to their building. Likewise, single-family residential customers and businesses can sign up to receive notifications for their area so they can be among the first to receive Google Fiber. The Fiber Space at Ponce City Market is open to the public 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.